What happened to SoleMender after Shark Tank? Details explored

SoleMender featured in the Shark Tank, is designed to alleviate plantar fasciitis symptoms. It made its debut on Shark Tank during season 9 episode 4 which aired on October 15, 2017. Currently, the company is still functioning and selling in retail stores and on Amazon as well. The official description of the product reads as:

"Made by a doctor, Solemender is a foot massager made to provide immediate pain relief. Perfect for plantar fasciitis and other extreme foot pain."

The inventor and founder of the company, Ehan Kamat, claimed that he was inspired by his mother’s use of a frozen water bottle for foot pain relief which led him to create a re-freezable roller with a non-skid base.

He collaborated with his father, Vinay Kamat and together they patented the invention and began the process to expand their business. The first step for that was Shark Tank where they came in seeking $75,000 for a 10% equity stake in their company. Despite showing interest in the early stages, the judges eventually discarded the company.

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What happened to SoleMender after Shark Tank?

Barbara Corcoran, who was a judge on the show, found this start-up to be "refreshing" in nature but somehow the funding was not given to them. All the Sharks had some concerns about Ehan's customer acquisition strategy as well as his uncertain plans for college. Eventually, all the Sharks declined to invest and urged Ehan to pursue his education while continuing his entrepreneurial journey.

The cost of making the product is about $4.10 and the selling price is $39.99 and he can get the cost down with more volume. But this also did not convince the Sharks who advised him to go to college and withdrew their interest in the product.

SoleMender might have not gotten the funding from Shark Tank but it did get a surge in popularity following the show's airing. Ehan did take the advice he got from judges and attended the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley from where he graduated in 2022.

The product went out of stock after the episode aired on Shark Tank but it was restocked very quickly. Updates for all Shark Tank businesses are posted on the Shark Tank blog and as per the same Ehan appeared on QVC several times, most recently in March 2020 as a “virtual guest” due to the Pandemic.

SoleMender products are currently unavailable on the Amazon website due to some issues however, according to the company website as of August 2022, the business is still operational and Ehan has graduated. The company website also says he’s sold over 2000 units since the company's inception through retail stores.

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Ehan Kamat has kept SoleMender operational and growing even when he was completing his education. The innovative foot roller continues to be sold online, maintaining a presence in the market despite the hurdles faced post-Shark Tank.

Ehan’s journey with SoleMender serves as an inspiring example of balancing education with entrepreneurship, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the business world.